George Drouillard

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George Drouillard (* 1773, † 1810 in Three Forks , Montana ) was a hunter and interpreter during the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Pacific Ocean.

George Drouillard was the son of a French-Canadian father and a Shawnee - Indian .

He was recommended for the Lewis and Clark expedition by Captain Daniel Bissell because of his excellent hunting skills, experience with Indians and good knowledge of sign language . In November 1803 he joined the expedition as an interpreter at Fort Massac on the Ohio River .

Drouillard was one of the most skilful hunters on the research expedition and was distinguished by his confident behavior in dangerous situations. He was often out scouting with Meriwether Lewis . Due to his knowledge of the sign language, he was an important mediator in initial contacts with unknown Indian tribes.

After the Lewis and Clark expedition ended, he founded the Lisa and Drouillard Expedition with Manuel Lisa , a St. Louis- based trader . The trade expedition followed the course of the Missouri River to trade fur. George Drouillard came to the Three Forks region , in what is now Montana , the confluence of the Jefferson River , Madison River, and Gallatin River , to set up a trading post with other men. The men were attacked several times by Gros Ventre and Blackfoot Indians.

George Drouillard was killed and mutilated in one of the attacks in 1810.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Christian Denissen: Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region . 2nd Edition. Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, Detroit 1987, ISBN 0-943112-02-8 .
  2. ↑ a b c d George Drouillard. Retrieved December 5, 2010 (Description of the documentary Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (by Ken Burns , 1997)).
personal data
SURNAME Drouillard, George
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Hunter and Explorer, member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
DATE OF BIRTH around 1775
DATE OF DEATH 1810
Place of death Three Forks , Montana